Explore topic-wise InterviewSolutions in .

In ancient times, muslin, chintz and embroidered cloth, iron and steel products, tobacco, indigo, shawls, silk and silken cloth and hot spices, etc. were various goods and articles which were exported from India.

Answer is: (d) Dhaka

White cloth was manufactured at places such as Lahore, Sarhind, Samana, Patna, Dhaka, Kalkutta, Ahmedabad, Burhanpur, Petaboli, Madras, Pondicherry, Nagapattnam, etc.

Cottage and large industries were respectively established in villages and towns. The function of cottage industries was to fulfil the local demand and the function of large industries was to fulfil the demand of extended large markets.

Chintz cloth was manufactured at places such as Samana, Patna, Dhaka, Kalkutta, Patan, Sironj, Burhanpur, Petaboli and Madras.

Northern and Southern routes refer to the routes which were used for Indian domestic trade. Places which were covered through the Northern route included Tamralipty (western region of Bengal), Patliputra, Vaishali, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Hastinapur, Punjab, Delhi, Himalayan foothills, Kashmir Valley, Taxila, Pushkalawati (present Peshawar in Pakistan), Afghanistan, Kabul and Bulkh, etc. respectively

Ancient Indian traders established their colonies in foreign countries at places such as Suwarndeep (Sumatra), Kamboj, Indo-China and Hindesia (according to Chinese writers).

Traders loaded goods in boats from places named Champa and Mithila and carried it to Tamralipty (Bengal).

Following is the list of agricultural produce of ancient India- sugar, salt, tea, opium, cotton, spices, indigo, silk and sugarcane, etc.

(a) Khetri (Rajasthan)

i – Dr. Voileker (1889 AD) 

ii – Report of Industries Commission (1916) 

iii – Plini.

“Indian farmer is better than an average English farmer in certain matters.” This statement was made by Dr. Voileker in the year 1889.

Following were the reasons of this:

1. The Indian farmer used to clear the crop of unnecessary weeds in an appropriate manner. 

2. Indian farmer had deep knowledge about the soil, tilling the fields, sowing the seeds and harvesting the crop.

Indian clothes were in demand in south-eastern Asia (Java, Sumatra, etc.) and in western and Central Asian countries.

There was great demand of goods made in India in foreign countries. In exchange of export of these goods, India used to obtain gold and silver from foreign countries and because of availability of superior quality of raw material in India, it did not import goods from other countries. Thus gold and silver received as payments were retained in our country. Gold from all over the world got accumulated in India and our stock of gold increased and India became prosperous. So India was known as called a ‘Bird of Gold’.

1. gold and silver 

2. wheat 

3. sea vessels 

4. Ishwal (Udaipur) 

5. Ivory and gold.

The route used to reach Bulkh in Asia proceeded from Afghanistan through Kabul.

(c) Black pepper

The English people were surprised to see progress in agricultural sector in India.

India which is known as a ‘Golden Bird’ has been severely looted by many invaders. Especially the English people had destroyed the Indian economy to such an extent that it declined later.

Condition of Indian agriculture – Agriculture was the major occupation of people in ancient India. It is assumed that the world learnt about the technique of farming from India. The Indian farmers had started cultivating wheat many centuries earlier than England and Europe. The English scholars have also appreciated the farming skills of Indian farmers. Indian agriculture was in a very advanced condition as compared to other countries. Money for people and raw material for industries was derived from agriculture in abundant amount. Indian agricultural products were in high demand in foreign countries.

Following is the list of goods exported from the eastern, western and southern ports of India

1. Eastern Ports – Muslin, pearls, ivory, tej patra. 

2. Western Ports – Black pepper, silken clothes, ornaments, ivory, tejpatra, precious stones. 

3. Southern Ports – Muslin, pearls, semi-precious stones.

Following are two sentences on the shipping industry of India: 

1. Till the beginning of the nineteenth century, shipping industry of India was more developed as compared to England. 

2. Indian ships were not only advanced with quality point of view, but they were also in a developed condition with the point of view of quantity of goods loaded.

The Southern Route was mainly divided into two parts- one direction went from Paithan in Maharashtra to places in Bihar. The second direction passed from Paithan to Ujjain and Gonandha in Madhya Pradesh, going up to Rajgrih.

Agriculture and its allied activities were the major occupations of people in ancient India.

The Iron Pillar erected in the Qutab Minar complex in Delhi (Mehrauli) is an example of the superior quality delivered by the ancient iron and steel industry of India.

Domestic Trade – Trade done within the boundaries of a country is known as domestic trade.

International Trade – Trade done between two or more than two countries is known as international trade or more than two.

Indian Metal Industry- Indian metal industry was in a very developed condition. Brass, copper and tin utensils were made at all places. At that time, manufacturing of gold and silver jewellery was a major occupation. The Iron Pillar standing in the Qutab Minar complex in Delhi (Mehrauli) was built almost 1500 years ago and it is an excellent example of the metal (iron) industry of India as it has not rusted even after so many years.

Routes covered in the Southern route include Paithan, Maheshwar (on the banks of river Narmada), Ujjain, Gonandha (land of the Gonds), Bhilsa, Kosam, Saket (Ayodhya), Shravasti, Setanya, Kapilvastu, Pawapuri, Bhogngara, Vaishali and Rajgrih, etc. respectively.

Routes which connect places in Northern India are known as Northern routes and routes which connect places in Southern India are known as Southern routes.

In around 1750 AD, India was a major country of cotton production in the entire world Indian clothes were world famous for their quality and fine craftsmanship across the world. These clothes were in huge demand in south-eastern Asia (Java, Sumatra, etc.) and in Western and Central Asia. Fine cloth of cotton and silk, especially the muslin sarees from Dhaka were in huge demand in the world. Cotton clothes of Bengal were exported by European companies in large quantities.

In India, Bengal was the major centre of cotton and silken cloth, and outside BengalLucknow, Ahmadabad, Nagpur and Mathura also were major centres of cotton textile. Before the arrival of the English in India, the cotton textile industry of India was leading at international level. India has been conducting trade with various countries of the world even before 2000 BC. Muslin cloth produced by Indian textile industry was wrapped on the Mummies in Egypt and Indian cloth was sold by the name of Gangatika in Greece, which proves the fact that Indian textile industry was at its height at that time.

After the discovery of sea route to India by foreign traders, French, Dutch and British companies started conducting trade with India.

During the end of the eighteenth century, the major centres of weaving in India included Lahore, Punjab, Sarhind, Samana, Agra, Awadh, Delhi, Jaipur, Sanganer, Sindh, Patan, Ahmadabad, Surat, Sironj, Burhanpur, Banaras, Patna, Dhaka, Calcutta, Machlipatnam, Petaboli, Pulikat, Madras, Pondicherry, Nagapattnam, Tanjore, Madurai, Calicut, Goa, Golkunda, Bombay, etc.

Following is the description of ancient foreign trade routes: 

1. Armenian and Persian traders used the route through Punjab, Afghanistan, East Persia and Central Asia for trading. 

2. India was connected with the countries of the middle-east and the eastern sea through the sea port at Surat in Gujarat. 

3. Ports at Machalipatnam and Coromandal Coast and Hugli in the Bay of Bengal connected India to South Asian countries. 

4. India conducted trade with Arab countries mainly through land routes and through sea routes via Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.

In ancient times, international trade was in developed condition in India. Indian traders used to export muslin, chintz, embroidered clothes, indigo, hot spices, and various other goods to foreign countries and obtained ornaments, gold and silver in the form of payment. Silk cloth was exported to Rome, black pepper was exported to Europe, copper, sandal wood and teak wood was exported to the towns situated on the southern coast of Bay of Persia.

Demand for silk clothes, embroidered clothes, and Indian goods made of metals was always there in central eastern countries and horses were the major items of import from foreign countries. Apart from this, India used to obtain ivory and gold from Africa. India used to conduct international trade in abundance mainly with countries such as Babylon, Egypt, Java, Sumatra and Rome.

Silk was produced in India at places such as Banaras, Patan and Ahmadabad.

1. Main exports were Spices, Pearls, Diamonds, Cotton textiles, Ivory Works, Conch Shells.

2. Main Imports were Horses, Gold, Glassware, Linen.

Incidents of various exciting sea journeys have been described in several books. In one book, we get information about Gulliver’s unique travel and details about the Lilliputians The journey conducted by Vasco de Gama for the discovery of Indian subcontinent and the West Indies was full of the adventures of the sea. The journey conducted by Christopher Columbus while prior to his discovery of America was also full of various adventurous incidents.

Sthanika and Gopa assisted Nagarika in the administration of towns

India imported less goods during ancient times because at that time other countries were lagging behind with industrial point of view while India was rich in resources.

1. Indigenous Art – Statues of Yakshas and Yakshis. 

2. Royal Art – Palaces and Public buildings, Monolithic Pillars, Rock cut Architecture, ‘ Stupas.

1. Under the Mauryan army, a board of 30 members divided into six committees with five members on each, monitored

2. Navy, Armoury (transport and supply), Infantry, Cavalry, The war chariots and The war elephants.

The terms Sthanika and Gopa are related to Mauryan Council

In 643 CE, Harsha convened the Prayag Assembly which was also called ‘Moksha Council. 18 royal friends of Harsha and Heiun – Tsang participated in this assembly. More than 5,00,000 people were present on this occasion. On the first day of the assembly, a Buddha statue was installed and innumerable clothes and precious articles were distributed among the people.

On the second and third day, the idols of the gods Surya and Shiva were honoured respectively. Buddhist monks were given charity on the fourth day and charity was given to Brahmins on the next day. Jain and other adherents of various faiths were given charity for ten days.

Mendicants of distant lands were given charity for many days. For the next one month, the poor, orphans, and handicapped people were given aid. All this was done in 75 days. In this way Harsha encouraged religious tolerance and harmony and spread the message of humanism.

1. The land was the most important source of revenue for the state. The land tax (bhaga) was 1/6 of the total produce.

2. Additional revenue was taxes on forests, mines, salt and irrigation

(b) Shishunaga

1. Ashoka’s successors were very weak.

2. Continuous revolts in different parts of the empire.

3. Invasion by the Bactrian Greeks weakened the empire.

4. Pacifist policy of Ashoka weakened the military strength.

5. Last Maurya ruler Brihadratha was killed by his commander Pushyamitra Sungha.

(c) 1,2 and 3 only

1. Chanakya was the teacher and advisor to Emperor Chandragupta Mauryan.

2. His treatise on statecraft ‘Arthashastra’ was a very great guide for rulers.

3. Hence he is referred to as the architect of the Mauryan empire.

(c) Brihadratha

(c) Haryanka – Sishunaga – Nanda – Maurya